Unitary cam-off closure



N. J. SMALLEY 3,468,447

UNITARY CAM- OFF CLOSURE Sept. 23, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 30,1967 FIG.

INVENTOR. NED JSmALLEV BY y! file/wall. Jul-10L ATTOENQS Sept. 23, 1969N. J. SMALLEY 3,468,447

UNITARY CAM-OFF CLOSURE Filed Jan. :50, 1967 2 SheetsSheet 2 INVENTOR.ND J. S m ALLEI V ZZMWMMMM QTTO RNEVS United States Patent 3,468,447UNITARY CAM-OFF CLOSURE Ned J. Smalley, St. Charles, 11]., assignor toOwens- Illinois, Inc., a corporation of Ohio Filed Jan. 30, 1967, Ser.No. 612,717 Int. Cl. B65d 51/08, 55/08 US. Cl. 215-41 6 Claims ABSTRACTOF THE DISCLOSURE Background of invention This invention relates tounitary, elastically yieldable closures for bottles and jars; moreparticularly it relates to closures adapted to be stretched over thecontainer mouth and having a stopper portion which may be sealinglypositioned within and be encircled by the container month, said closureand container being provided with interengaging removal means.

As a result of a trend toward greater sophistication in packaging themore traditional packages, for example containers to which removablecaps were attached by interengaging threads, are being supplanted byvarious new closure designs and construction. One of the relativelynewer constructions which has found limited commercial acceptance is aclosure generally referred to in the arts as a snapcap. The reason foronly limited acceptability apparently results from the fact that thecurrent means for removing the cap from the container precludes tightattachment of the cap to the container.

Typically, these caps are provided with a thumb-off tab, whereby the capis removed from the container by utilizing the thumb as a lever andexerting an upward force on said tab. Since the force required for capremoval is dependent upon the magnitude of the compressive andfrictional forces which maintain the cap container attachment, andbecause of the inherent mechanical inefficiency of using the thumb as alever the magnitude of these attaching forces has heretofore beenmoderate in order not to appreciably increase the difficulty of capremoval.

Similarly, closures having stopper sealing characteristics have receivedonly limited acceptance because of the notable lack of suitable meansfor removing the closure from the container.

Summary In accordance with this invention a novel and advantageousclosure and container combination is provided with means which greatlyfacilitate the ease of closure removal, thereby allowing tighterattachment of the clo' sure to the container.

More particularly, in accordance with this invention, a closure havingsnap-cap and stopper sealing characteristics, and a container, arerespectively provided with Patented Sept. 23, 1969 coactingcam-surfaces, whereby rotation of the attached closure in a plane normalto the container axis causes said cam-surfaces to interengage andcooperate to produce an upward axial closure displacement.

Brief drawing description The foregoing and other advantageous featuresof this invention will be more readily understood by reference to thedrawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a central, sectional elevation view of an embodiment of theclosure of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom sectioned view of the closure of FIG. 1 taken at theplane 22;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of an embodiment of the container of thisinvention;

FIG. 4 shows a closure in attaching engagement with a container,portions thereof being cut-away to illustrate embodiments of the sealingmeans and removal means of this invention;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, sectional elevation view of the cut awayportions of the closure and container of FIG. 4.

Description of preferred embodiment(s) In the drawings a glass container10 is shown having a circumferential wall 74 defining a body 12 and anupwardly extending neck 14 which merges with an annular rim 16, therebydefining an open mouth 18 of the container; the rim 16 generallycomprises an annular ledge 22 projecting radially and outwardly of theneck 14 and includes an upper, substantially planar sealing surface 20.The juncture of the neck 14 and container body portion 12 defines ashoulder 22 having cam-members 24- integrally formed therewith, adjacentthe neck 14. While any number of cam-members may be provided, two suchmembers being diametrically spaced from each other are preferred; thispreference is primarily based upon the desire to minimize the containercomplexity and yet retain suflicient benefit of the novel cam-offfeatures of this invention. The cam-members 24 generally comprisecontainer wall protuberances having an outer face 28 which extendsaxially and upwardly from the lower margin of the shoulder 22, andinclude substantially planar sides 30 merging with the outer face 28,the sides extending outwardly of the shoulder adjacent the neck 14.These protuberance have a generally V-shaped, or upwardly concave upperface which comprises the container camming surface 26. Preferentially,the camming surfaces 26 are defined by merging, substantially planarsurfaces 32 which extend downwardly from the sides 30 of the cammingprotuberances and are integrally formed with the container.Additionally, the inclined surfaces 32'and the sides 30 have a suitableradial thickness such that substantial radial portions of the cammingsurfaces 26 extend outwardly of the radial ledge 22.

For reasons hereinafter to become apparent, the container closure 34 ispreferentially constructed of an elastically yieldable material such as,for example, polyethylene, polypropylene, plasticized vinyls, andcopolymers of ethylene and vinyl esters. The outer closure 64 iscomprised of an upper panel 36 defined by two downwardly inclined,substantially planar merging surfaces and includes the periphery of thepanel an integrally attached, downwardly extending circumferentialclosure skirt 70. Disposed inwardly of the skirt and integrally formedwith the crown 36, is a downwardly disposed snap-cap member comprised ofan annular wall or skirt 42 having an inwardly extending annular bead 44adapted for snapping over the annular container ledge 22 and'holdinglyattaching to the under surface thereof. Adjacently upward of the bead44, the internal surface of the wall 42 may be provided with a modest,inwardly convex surface 46 which compressingly engage the axiallyoriented surface of the outwardly projecting ledge 22 when said snap-capmember is attached to said container.

Disposed inwardly of the snap-cap member and integrally attached to thecrown 36 is a downwardly extending, generally tubular shaped member 50having stopper sealing characteristics and means for compressinglyengaging the upper sealing surface 20 of the container rim 16. In apreferred embodiment this tubular member has a downwardly extending,substantially vertical inner face 52 and a beveled outer face 54. Thebeveled outer face generally comprises a lower surface portion 56 whichextends upwardly and outwardly from the lower terminus of the tubularmember and merges with a second surface portion '58 extending upwardlyand inwardly, the juncture of these inclined portions forming anoutwardly disposed, modestly convex surface 60, the function of which isto provide the unitary closure 34 with stopper type sealing means.Addtiionally, the upwardly and inwardly extending second tubular surface58 arcuately merges with a pedestal 62 extending radially and outwardlyof the convex stopper sealing surface 60, the pedestal including aninner, generally planar face 64 which, in gasket-like fashion,compressingly engages the upper sealing surface 20 of the annularcontainer rim 16 upon closure attachment.

Interposed between the closure skirt 70 and the annular snap-cap wall 42are a pair of diametrically spaced, downwardly extending lugs 66integrally formed with the crown 36. Moreover, in addition to beingintegrally formed with the crown, these lugs for purposes of increasingthe rigidity of the closure during its removal from the container, arepreferentially integrally attached to skirt 70 and snap-cap wall 42. Thelugs 66 comprise the closure cam-members and are preferably providedwith a downwardly convex finish 68 at their lower margin thereby beingadapted to nest with the upwardly concave container camming surfaces 26.

Attachment of the closure to the container, and its removal therefrom,is best illustrated by reference to FIGURES 4 and 5. To apply theclosure 34 to the container the closure is forced axially downward untothe container; during the exertion of this downward force the closurecamming lugs 66 must be oriented in vertical registry with the containercamming surfaces 26, whereby they nest in close proximity with the lowermargin 72 of said surfaces 26. Additionally, the beveled outer face '54of tubular member 50 is forced axially into the container mouth 18,whereby its integrally formed convex surface 60, because of being placedin a state of compression, sealingly engages the internal surface of thecontainer neck 14 and the inner surface 64 of the pedestal 62compressingly engages the upper sealing surface of the container.Concurrent with the above engagement, the inwardly disposed bead 44 ofthe annular wall 42 snaps over and holdingly attaches to the containerledge 22, thereby directing the internal wall surface 46 adjacentlyupward of the bead into intimate contact with the outer radial surfaceof the ledge 22.

In order to procure the container contents the closure is firmly graspedand twisted or rotated in a plane substantially normal to the containeraxis. As the twisting motion is being applied, the closure cam-members66 engage and ride upon the upward inclined container camming surfaces32; thus by means of the interacting cam features the closure is forcedaxially upward and is released from its attaching engagement with theclosure.

I claim:

1. An improved article of manufacture, wherein said article is a packagecomprising in combination: a container having a body and an upwardlyextending neck defining a mouth opening of said container'at an upperannular rim thereof, said rim including an upper sealing surface and aradial ledge, the juncture of said neck and said body defining ashoulder having diametrically opposed radial protuberances terminatingin upwardly sloping cam surfaces; a unitary, elastically yieldableclosure comprising a top panel and a peripheral, integrally attachedskirt, said panel including a depending circumferential wall having aninteriorly disposed bead adapted to snap over and compressingly engagesaid radial ledge, thereby holding said closure on the container, and adownwardly depending member having a beveled tubular portion andincluding an annular pedestal, merging with said tubular portion, theinternal surface of said pedestal compressingly engaging said upper rimsealing surface and said beveled tubular portion sealingly engaging theinterior container neck surface when said bead engages said radialledge, thereby closing said container mouth opening, said top panelfurther including downwardly extending lugs being constructed andarranged at their lower margin to nest with said upwardly sloping camsurfaces and cooperating with said surfaces, whereby rotation of theclosure causes an upward axial displacement of said closure.

2. The package of claim 1, wherein said downwardly extending lugs areintegrally formed with said closure skirt and said circumferential wall.

3. A a container for use with a closure having an integral snap-capmember and including camming means for releasing said closure from saidcontainer, comprising: a body, an upwardly extending neck defining amouth opening of said container at an upper annular rim thereof, saidrim extending radially outward of said neck whereby said snap-cap may beattached to said container, the juncture of said body and said neckdefining a shoulder having diametrically opposed radial protuberancesterminating in upwardly concave cam surfaces, whereby upon rotating anattached closure said container cam surfaces coact with said closurecamming means to axially displace and release said closure.

4. The container as described in claim 3 wherein said upwardly concavecam surfaces are V-shaped.

5. The container as described in claim 4 wherein said V-shaped camsurfaces extend outwardly of said rim.

6. As an article of manufacture, an improved package comprising incombination a container having a body and a joining upwardly extendingneck defining a mouth opening of said container at an upper outwardlyextending annular rim thereof, radial protuberances generally formed atthe juncture of said body and said neck, each of said protuberanceshaving an upper, V-shaped camming face, a portion of which extendsoutwardly of said container neck and rim, a unitary elasticallyyieldable closure having a top panel and a peripheral integrallyattached skirt, a circumferential wall depending downwardly from saidpanel having an interiorly disposed bead adapted to snap over andcompressingly engage said outwardly extending annular rim, therebyholding said closure on said container, a tapered stopper member havingan outwardly extending sealing surface depending downwardly from saidpanel, said member being positioned within the container mouth openingand said outwardly extending sealing surface compressingly engaging theinterior container neck surface upon said engagement of said bead andsaid annular rim, thereby closing said container mouth opening, lugmembers depending downwardly from said panel and being integrally formedwith said closure skirt and said circumferential wall, said lug membersbeing arranged and constructed at their lower margin to nest within saidV-shaped camming faces upon attachment of said closure and containerand, upon relative rotation of said container and closure, said lugmembers counteract with said V-shaped camming faces to cause an upwardaxial displacement of said closure.

(References on following page) References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTSHoffmann 215-46 X Foss et a1. 215-31 X Ruetz 220-60 X Exton 215-41Bateman 215-46 X Eddy 215-40 3,285,451 11/1966 Golde 215-40 3,339,7739/1967 Stull 215-40 3,372,834 3/1968 Ayotte et a1. 220-60 5 DONALD F.NORTON, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 215-31, 46

